When it comes to Shaikh Maktoum, one fact that many would attribute to him is his character and personality, more so than historical dates and events, even though they hold great significance.
History is always carved by individuals of calibre. It is such individuals who play a role in shaping and defining actions that leave an imprint. One such individual is the late Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He will be remembered not only as a man of kindness and generosity but also as a witness to crucial junctures in the history of the UAE in general and Dubai in particular
It is impossible to pay tribute to Shaikh Maktoum without mentioning that his years as a Ruler were intertwined with the history of the formation of the United Arab Emirates. In fact, throughout his life, Shaikh Maktoum was a witness and a key player in the development of Dubai and the UAE federation.
The first exposure to one of the elements to leadership was in 1958 when he delivered a public speech at the ceremony marking the accession of his father, the late Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Shaikh Maktoum was only 15 years old then and the occasion must have been a memorable event for him as it marked the beginning of forging the future of the emirate under the rule of the late Shaikh Rashid. In the 1960s, Shaikh Maktoum was involved in the meetings that were taking place between the Trucial States, a term used to define the emirates before the formation of the UAE in 1971. He was also present in February 1968 at the historical signing of the agreement between the Rulers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Shaikh Rashid. This was indeed a historic moment to be witness to as it was an initiation towards forming the federation.Became ruler
At the age of 29, Shaikh Maktoum became the UAE's first Prime Minister from 1972 until 1979. Later, in 1983, he became Deputy Prime Minister. In 1990, following the death of his father, Shaikh Maktoum became Ruler of Dubai and Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE.
During his rule, Shaikh Maktoum built on the foundation laid down by his father. He followed in his footsteps by advocating the same principles of development. It is true to say that Dubai today would not have been able to achieve what it has done so far without the guiding ideas of Shaikh Rashid. But is it not a fact that it would not have been possible for Dubai to progress as it has without these ideas being carried forward by Shaikh Maktoum?
Yet Shaikh Maktoum's role was not limited to ensuring Dubai's progress. In fact, his role in his capacity as Vice-President and Prime Minister came as a boon for the UAE. This was seen during two main periods in the history of the UAE. As Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Maktoum played a pivotal role first during the presidency of the late Shaikh Zayed and second when President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan became the new President. The significance of Shaikh Maktoum's role was not limited to the two presidency periods. Instead, the importance of his role was felt especially during the transitional periods.
It is easy to relay historical dates and events. It is true history can be recounted, revisited, reexamined and reinterpreted by the significance of events. But it is people who make history. And it is people who turn events in history into ones that are documented and remembered.
When it comes to Shaikh Maktoum, one fact that many would attribute to him is his character and personality, more so than historical dates and events, even though they hold great significance. Perhaps what will be remembered most about Shaikh Maktoum is his style of ruling with simplicity and governing the people by relating to them with ease and generosity.

Actually the Australian media is very interested in it, probably because it happened here. I'm glad they have been giving the situation decent coverage. The news has been on all the major news programs and has also been getting significant coverage in newspapers.

I feel very sad for the people of the UAE especially Dubai.

I have been told there will be a good coverage from the Australian Media, not only because the late Shk. Died there but also due to the Australian/Emirates good relationship, airline and sports events. I can't help to wonder if the European and the American media took as much of interest as the Australian Media.

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All of my life... Saturday morning cartoons. The best. William Strannix(Tommy Lee Jones) Under Siege.

None from my family attended the funeral whether today or yesterday, my father has a really bad flu, most of the Emaraties are due to the weather change. There will be a day lift tomorrow for attending the mourning ceremony. Ordinary people who attend will not got a chance to meet the Royal family, when arriving, people are guided to different places within the same building.
The DSF was supposed to start on the 4th of Jan, but of course it was cancelled, however, Dubai malls offered huge sales as a part of the DSF. Yesterday, my family went shopping in Sharjah, Dubai roads were crowded and some strictly dedicated to the funeral ceremony. As odd as it is, Sharjah and Ajman was actually crowded, the Eid is four days away, however, it was a shock that people would actually go shopping within just the second day of the death, first day of the national mourning period and missing the funeral. When Shk. Zayed diedl, streets were empty, literary in the first day and on the funeral, those who didn't attend, actually styaed home to watch it.
Shk. Maktoum's death was a shock but I guess people aren't as much as sad as they were when Shk. Zayed died though am not in a position to speak on behalf of all the people. For the southern Emirates (Ajman, UAQ and RAK), things were less tensioned, I don't know if it's because of the distant but the distant didn't stop them from mourning over Shk. Zayed.
I stayed home to watch the funeral, as sad as it is, it was kind of less "emotional" comparing to Shk. Zayed's funeral, it was sort of a practical one, except for Shk. Hamdan bin Rashid who looked devastated. I recall when Shk. Khalifa shed tears over his father, that was moving and emotional.
It wasn't proper to start a comparison between the two funerals but I didn't expect what I saw in the funeral, I expected a real sadness and grievance too in the area but there isn't much.
Though the western media calls the Sheikhs here Emir, they aren't called so here, Emir--an Arabic word for Prince--isn't a title for the Royal family of UAE.

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All of my life... Saturday morning cartoons. The best. William Strannix(Tommy Lee Jones) Under Siege.

People of the UAE were Shocked more than sad....sheikh Maktoum went to AUstraila for holidays and he died there people couldnt beleive it. What we heared that after a few days they started to in-take the shock....
If you have seen the people crying in the Dubai Financial Market you would be amazed...men...arabs...indians..expats all cried....
the roads of dubai were emty...whole dubai seemed sad...
what you have seen on TV family members were shocked more than sad...
and the media didnt try to play with peoples feeling and make them feel more sad the dealt with it in a differnet way from when sh. Zayed died..
Whole UAE were sad when sh.Zayed died.... but people were say because he left but they were not shocked because everyone knew it would be announced anytime... and the media in abudhabi presented the death of sh.Zayed in a very emotional way....
and even when a year passed they started putting emotional programs about sh.Zayed .... they like it that way
as for sadness beleive me...when sh.Maktoum died it was like slap on the face shocking and painful :(

Sheikh Zayed is in a different league than Sheikh Maktoum. Glorifying the media as the perpetrator of intensifying the people's sadness over the death of Sheikh Zayed is ill-informing. People were more aware of the loss of Sheikh Zayed, more touched by it. Sheikh Maktoum was a ruler, Sheikh Zayed was a president and above that the founder and father of the nation. To understand the loss of Sheikh Zayed, maybe you should see the different reactions from the Maktoum family, Sheikh Mohammed in particular over the death of his brother and that of Sheikh Zayed.

Blaming the media for making it harder with coming to terms with Sheikh Zayeds death is dumb founded, the media allowed for the celebration of great man who accomplished the extraordinary. People still cry till this day over Sheikh Zayed and he is remembered in every aspect of the UAE. It is called love and loyalty to a man that will not appear in our lifetime again; to have Sheikh Zayed compared to Sheikh Maktoum is wrong, to have compared Sheikh Rashid to Sheikh Zayed would have been a better choice.

As an outsider and Expat living here in UAE, I was saddened by the death of this man. He evidently was very well loved by all, and it was a sorrowful event. His photos showed him to be a caring and kind-looking man. I watched the funeral on TV and was amazed at the simplicity of it. It was explained to me that Muslims enter heaven as they enter Life..... with nothing. What a beautiful tribute. He will certainly be remembered for all the good things he did while here on earth.

dazzling i wanna ask one question
the previous sheikh, maktoum , who died in jan 2006..was he married?living in dubai itself i never saw him much on tv compare to shk mohammad.and is his wife alive if he was married?

dazzling i wanna ask one question
the previous sheikh, maktoum , who died in jan 2006..was he married?living in dubai itself i never saw him much on tv compare to shk mohammad.and is his wife alive if he was married?

Yes, Sheikh Maktoum was married to his cousin and had 5 children.
He was married to a Moroccon and had 3 sons (who are sometimes seen with Shiekh Mohammed bin Rashed at events)
Before he passed away, he was seen with a younger Moroccon lady at horse events in the UK who would be his wife.